Thy Word:

“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Matthew 21:22 NIV

My Thoughts: 

Hello!!! I know it’s been…, well, a very long time since you’ve heard anything from me here! Yikes! I’m so sorry! 

Life has been a challenge with the demands of caregiving for my Aunt in her final years, her death during COVID (!!), being the executor during COVID (have mercy!), my husband’s cancer (he is in remission, praise God!), and struggles with my own health (FINALLY received answers and the right treatment)! To say I have been overwhelmed might be an understatement! 

When tempted to believe I might be the only one going through multiple trials, Jesus reminds me life will not be without challenges: 

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NLT

Yet, despite knowing this truth, I was still quietly undone by this steady stream of challenges. 

For the most part, I am a stoic, one day at a time, focus hard on what you can control, kinda gal. Which doesn’t mean I don’t have meltdowns, I just try to limit them, which helps me stay strong in adversity. I guess you could say I like the safety of order and control…, a lot. But when staccato chaos happened, mixed with the insanity of Covid, I was unable to cling to the safety of any type of control and found myself on my knees in prayer, which is exactly what I needed. I clung to this truth:

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5b NIV

Of course, nothing changed immediately. Oh, I wasn’t without hope (and begging!) for it all to end asap, but it has been about three years before everything was finally resolved. While this is good news, what is even greater news is my trust in the Lord has grown stronger. 

Disclaimer: While my life verse is Proverbs 3:5-6…,

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

… lessons in trust don’t exactly thrill me! Eek! What does thrill me, is seeing the promises in God’s word, come to fruition when I trust, obey, and lean hard into him believing he will do what he promises, whether in good times or bad.

“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Matthew 21:22 NIV

Prayer: 

Father God, you are so very faithful, even when I am not, especially when I find myself in the pit surrounded by hard things. Thank you for the lessons, the answered prayers, and for helping me respond in obedience to your call, even in the hard times. In the mighty name of Jesus. Amen. 

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” James 1:2-6 NIV

Stay tuned for more details about what I have been doing in the past three years!